Separating recycling into the correct waste bin is an important household task to help protect the environment.

RECYCLING at home is often something that we just do, rarely taking the time to think of the positive outcomes that come from our good recycling choices. Here are a few recycling facts that we as individuals contribute to:

1. Recycling one tonne of paper and cardboard saves 13 trees and 2.5 barrels of oil.

2. In Australia, 17.5 million steel cans are recycled each week. This is enough to build 900 cars.

3. The energy saved by recycling one plastic drink bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes.

4. Each year household recycling in Victoria saves 8,960 megalitres of water. That’s the water consumption of 3,370,000 people for one week.

5. Three cubic metres of landfill space is saved for every tonne of newspaper that is recycled.

6. Each aluminium can recycled saves enough electricity to run a television for three hours.

7. Since 2001 we have collected 350 thousand tonnes of recyclable material in the Loddon Mallee Region.

8. By recycling just six aluminium cans you can save enough energy to offset the carbon emissions from a 10km journey in an average-size car.

9. Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to power a 100-watt light bulb for four hours, or a fluorescent bulb for 20 hours.

10. Making products from recycled plastics instead of virgin materials reduces water usage by 90%, carbon dioxide by 2.5 tonnes and energy consumption by two thirds.

For more information, hints and tips to help with recycling right as well as a detailed A-Z list of materials showing which bin they go in download the free Loddon Mallee Waste Info App through the App Store or Google Play with the search: Loddon Mallee.